Is Liposuction Right for Me?

By Sheryl Pilcher on February 14, 2014

You’ve been working hard to lose weight, and you’ve almost made it to where you want to be, but those stubborn problem areas simply won’t give. Everyone’s problem areas are different - it could be belly fat, extra padding around the hips and thighs, or persistent weight carried around the neck and chin. But the frustration and discouragement these areas can cause is nearly always the same.

At Accent Plastic Surgery, Dr. Sheryl Pilcher offers liposuction to her San Antonio patients as an increasingly popular plastic surgery technique used to take out those last remaining pounds and sculpt a more pleasing figure. But liposuction is not for everyone - how do you know if it’s right for you?

Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

A good candidate for liposuction is a patient with the following characteristics:

Good Health - While liposuction is an outpatient procedure that has become quite common, it is still an invasive medical procedure - and, as such, there is always some risk involved. Your chances of healing properly and promptly after liposuction are greatly improved if you approach the procedure from a place of good health.

Good Skin Elasticity - Liposuction may address the fat lying underneath a patient’s skin, but it does nothing to address the skin itself. A successful liposuction procedure is therefore dependent on skin with good elasticity that can shrink back and conform to your newly contoured body. Without this elasticity, your skin may take on wrinkling and a crêpe paper-like appearance after liposuction, necessitating further tightening procedures to remove extra skin.

Non-Smoking - Almost any plastic surgeon will suggest that patients quit smoking, at least leading up to a procedure and during the healing process. By depleting the amount of oxygen within your bloodstream, smoking can delay and complicate the healing process. Depending on where your incision site is on your body, smoke from cigarettes can also be a direct irritant and cause further complications.

Realistic Expectations - If you are hoping to lose a drastic amount of weight, liposuction is probably not the appropriate procedure for you. Liposuction works best as a way to shave off those last few pounds and add contouring and definition to a body. In fact, attempting to extract too much fat during a liposuction procedure can lead to unsightly puckering and unevenness of the skin. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons suggests that liposuction candidates be within 30 percent of their ideal weight. If you are outside of that range, you might be better served with a procedure like a tummy tuck. A good candidate also understands that liposuction does not remove fat permanently - a healthy diet and exercise will still be necessary to maintain your results, otherwise you may find yourself back at square one.

Contact Your Plastic Surgeon Today

For the right patients, liposuction is the perfect procedure to help you achieve the body you’ve been working toward. Only your plastic surgeon can truly assess your body and help determine whether liposuction is a good fit for your individual needs. Contact Dr. Sheryl Pilcher at Accent Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation and discuss your options today.